NO WORD RIGHT NOW HOW LONG THAT STRETCH OF THE INTERSTATE WILL BE CLOSED. FOR MONTHS, JACKSONVILLE'S MEDICAL EXAMINER HAS BEEN THE CENTER OF COMPLAINTS OVER THE OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE. SOME COMPLAINTS COME FROM CURRENT CITY STAFFERS, OTHERS FROM FORMER EMPLOYEES. NOW SHE'S SPEAKING OUT ABOUT WHAT SHE SAYS REALLY GOES ON IN THE OFFICE. WE HAVE BEEN BASICALLY HIDING THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DID. SHE FIRST STARTED SERVING AS MEDICAL EXAMINER IN 2010 AND NOW HER APPOINTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR IS UP FOR RENEWAL. SHE'S APPLIED ALONG WITH OTHERS. JIM PIGGOTT IS HERE WITH MORE. SHE'S SAYING SHE WANTS TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT, BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT DIRECTLY ON CAMERA. SHE SAT DOWN WITH US TODAY AS MEMBERS OF HER STAFF AND FROM THE TIMES UNION AND TALKING ABOUT THE SITUATION THERE. SHE TOURED US AROUND THE FACILITY. AGAIN, SHE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK DIRECTLY ON CAMERA. IT'S A PLACE NOT MANY OF US WANT TO SEE, THE CITY MORGUE. AND SINCE 2010, IT'S BEEN RUN BY THIS WOMAN. SHE WALKED US AROUND TODAY, POINTING TO ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, THE OFFICE IS GETTING AN UPGRADE. SHE SAYS AFTER SHE FINALLY CONVINCED THE CITY THAT CHANGES ARE NEEDED. SHE TALKED TO US OFF CAMERA AND TOLD US WHY. I THINK IT'S LACK OF UNDERSTANDING. WE DON'T KNOW -- I WISH THEY CAME AND SPENT A DAY HERE, EVEN PEOPLE THAT OVERSEE THIS DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY DON'T KNOW WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. THE CITY RELEASED DOCUMENTS THAT SHOW QUESTIONABLE BEHAVIOR BY THE DOCTOR, POINTING TO EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE LEFT THE OFFICE, EITHER RESIGNED OR RETIRED, SOME STATING BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP. SHE SAYS IT'S THE NATURE OF THE JOB AT THIS OFFICE. PEOPLE CAN MAKE MORE MONEY IN OTHER CITIES. IT IS A STEPPING STONE TO FURTHERING A CAREER TO COME AND WORK IN THE MORGUE. IT IS A DEAD END JOB. SHE'S BEEN ACCUSED OF MAKING RACIST COMMENTS. SHE SAYS THAT'S JUST HEARSAY. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS HAPPENING? THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. THERE IS SOMEBODY WITH AN AGENDA OUT THERE. I WISH I KNEW. BUT I DON'T. DO YOU THINK IT'S THE CITY? DO YOU THINK IT'S CITY OFFICIALS? NOT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HELPED US. THERE'S ALSO BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT MONEY THAT THE OFFICE IS GENERATING BY SELLING EYE AND OTHER TISSUES. SHE SAYS THAT'S WHAT THE CITY WANTS THEM TO DO. WE DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY. IT'S ALL GOING -- WHATEVER MONEY WE MAKE, EVERY DIME GOES TO THE CITY. WE DO NOT SEE ONE CHECK COMING TO THIS OFFICE, NOT ONE. IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE CITY. HER METHODS OF PERFORMING AUTOPSIES ARE ALSO IN QUESTION. SOME COMPLAIN SHE DOESN'T ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES. THAT'S THE MOST RIDICULOUS ALLEGATION I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY 33 YEARS OF DOING THIS. I'VE NEVER DONE AUTOPSIES WITHOUT THE USE OF GLOVES. EVER. AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT'S SEEN THAT, I WOULD LOVE THAT PERSON TO COME FORWARD. SO NOW, SHE'S APPLYING TO KEEP THIS JOB. WHY WOULD YOU EVEN WANT THIS BACK AFTER WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE? I THINK THAT IF I DID NOT APPLY, I WOULD BE A COWARD. THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT HER NOT POSTING VACANT JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SHE SAYS IT'S NOT HER FAULT. SHE BLAMES IT ON THE CITY ADMINISTRATION. WE'RE LIVE ON THE SOUTH BANK, JIM PIGGOTT. JIM, ANY IDEA WHEN THE STATE WOULD SELECT THE NEXT MEDICAL EXAMINER? THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE DOING INTERVIEWS, TAKING IN APPLICATIONS. THEY MET ONCE ALREADY. THEY'RE GOING TO MEET AGAIN NEXT MONTH.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -

For months, Jacksonville Medical Examiner Valerie Rao has been the center of complaints from former employees and current city staffers about the operations of the office, so much so that the city released documents last week that once again question if Rao is the right person for the job.

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Rao was appointed by the governor in 2010. That appointment is now up for renewal. She has applied, along with others, and Rao spoke Tuesday to give her side of things.

She pointed out construction going on at the office, which is getting an upgrade after Rao said she finally convinced the city the changes were needed.

"I think it's lack of understanding," Rao said. "They don't know. I wish they came and spent a day here. Even people that oversee this department directly don't know what we do, why we do."

The city's recently released documents concerning questionable behavior by Rao point to employees who have left the office, either resigning or retiring. Some said they left because of lack of leadership.

Rao said it's the nature of the job at that office. She said people can make more money in other cities.

"It's a stepping stone to furthering a career to come and work in the morgue," Rao said. "It is a dead-end job."

Rao has been accused of making racist comments. She said that is just hearsay.

When asked what she thinks is happening, Rao said, "That's what I would love to know. I don't know. There is somebody with an agenda out there, and I wish I knew but I don't."

Asked if she think it's city officials, she said, "Not the finance committee. They're the ones that helped us."

There have also been concerns raised about money the office is generating by selling eye and other tissues. Rao said that's what the city wants it to do.

"We don't make any money," Rao said. "It's all going. Whatever money we make, every dime goes to the city. We do not see one check coming through this office. Not one. It goes directly to the city."

Rao's methods of performing autopsies are also in question. Some complain she does not always wear gloves.

"That's the most ridiculous allegations I have ever heard," Rao said. "In my 33 years of doing this, I have never done autopsies without the use of gloves. Ever. If there is anybody that has ever seen it, I would love that person to come forward."

So now she is applying to keep her job.

"I think if I did not apply I would be a coward," Rao said.

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